We are aware that a number of people weren’t able to purchase tickets for the match due to the sheer volume of demand. This is simply down to the demand versus the limited capacity of our stands, and is reflective of hockey’s appeal to its fans which is increasing every year – we’re sorry to those missing out. Individual experiences of seeing 'no availability' of tickets are consistent with the feedback ticket providers often get around high demand events, with customer baskets full of all available tickets within minutes of tickets going on sale (customers have a limited time to complete each transaction which is clearly highlighted on screen, after which seats becoming available again if the purchase isn’t completed). This is because of the volume of customers trying to buy at the same time.

We are of course very keen to ensure as many people can come to our events as possible to be inspired by the team, so we are looking into ways to expand our seating capacity, or put on additional fixtures in future, in response to the demand we are seeing for tickets.

There is a priority access window for a limited number of tickets which rewards past international event purchasers – who are incredibly important to us. Those tickets also sold out within hours and we ensure that a large proportion of tickets are available for general sale so that new spectators can come to watch.

Priority access will also be in play for World Cup 2018 tickets which go on sale soon, and which we’re expecting similar demand for – the World Cup will be the biggest hockey event ever hosted in the UK. Purchasing Hockey World League tickets is a good example of how you could gain access to the priority window, after which there will be access to tickets for the general public.

Our premium event hospitality also offers an opportunity to watch the games and is great for families, offering a chance to meet the players and a really memorable day out. While this has also sold out for Eng v Ned, we can take advance enquiries for events at hospitality@englandhockey.co.uk or 01628 8897522.

This is a brilliant time for our sport and while some people have been left disappointed in this instance, it is fantastic to see such interest and we’ll do all we can to embrace this as hockey continues on an upward curve.